Ink reservoir device for printing wheels



y 1969 A. A. MAROZZI 3,457,854

INK RESERVOIR DEVICE FOR PRINTING WHEELS Filed Jan. 20, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig./

40 Fig.5 68

Alfred A. Marozzi I NVEN TOR.

BY W Mz W nnn n July 29, 1969 A. A. MAROZZI INK RESERVOIR DEVICE FOR PRINTING WHEELS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 20, 1 967 Fig.3

1 4 I h 4 J Alfred A. Marozzi INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,457,854 INK RESERVOIR DEVICE FOR PRINTING WHEELS Alfred A. Marozzi, Bloomfield, NJ. (23 Fairview Place, Upper Montclair, NJ. 07043) Filed Jan. 20, 1967, Ser. No. 610,589 Int. Cl. B41f 17/06, /00

US. Cl. 10135 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A printing wheel carried by a mounting arm urged into engagement with continuously moving articles or material for marking the same, the printing wheel being drivingly engaged with a transfer roller through which the type on the printing wheel is coated with ink. The transfer roller projects with a close fit from an ink reservoir housing from which an adjustably regulated supply of ink is obtained.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to the marking of articles or sheets of material being continuously conveyed by a printing or marking wheel device and more particularly to the adjustably regulated supply of ink to such marking wheel device.

Marking devices having associated facilities for feeding ink thereto are well known and usually involve a transfer roller in contact with the printing wheel for coating the type thereon with ink withdrawn from a reservoir by the transfer roller. The reservoir housing in most cases, contains a liquid body of ink within which the transfer roller is partially immersed. Ink absorbing pads for storing ink have also been utilized to avoid leakage. In the latter cases however, a slow drying type of ink is utilized in view of the drying affect of air. Further, it has been rather difficult to accurately adjust or regulate the quantity of ink transferred from the reservoir chamber to the printing wheel in order to suit different requirements. The present invention is accordingly addressed to the foregoing problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention, an ink reservoir is operatively positioned on the mounting arm for a rotatably mounted printing wheel rollingly engaged with a transfer roller projecting from the reservoir. The ink reservoir device is so arranged as to fixedly position within the ink reservoir chamber, a body of absorbent material within which a relatively rapid drying ink may be stored with a minimum amount of evaporation. The ink transfer roller is accordingly mounted by the reservoir housing for rotation in firm contact with the ink absorbent body and projects with a close fit from an opening in a leakage-free reservoir housing for rolling contact with the type on a printing wheel. An adjustably tensioned device within the reservoir chamber rotatably mounts a wiping roller in contact with the transfer roller for limiting the quantity of ink removed by the transfer roller from the ink absorbent body.

It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide an improvedtype of leakage-free ink reservoir device for marking wheels with a rapid drying ink through which the quantity of ink fed to the marking wheel may be adjustably regulated in order to suit different requirements.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accom- 3,457,854 Patented July 29, 1969 'ice panying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a top plan view showing a typical installation for a marking device embodying the adjustable ink reservoir device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the installation shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial sectional view taken substantially through a plane indicated by section line 33 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial sectional View taken substantially through a plane indicated by section line 44 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged partial sectional view taken substantially through a plane indicated by section line 5-5 in FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings in detail, and initially to FIGS. 1 and 2, it will be observed that a marking device generally denoted by reference numeral 10 is shown installed laterally adjacent to a conveyor 12 through which a plurality of articles 14 are continuously conveyed past the marking device. It will be appreciated, that the marking device could be differently arranged in operative relation to other types of continuously conveyed materials including for example sheets of material. By Way of example however, the marking device 10 illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 is mounted for angular displacement about a vertical axis extending through the pivotal mounting portion 16 of a mounting arm 18, the opposite end of which rotatably mounts a printing or marking wheel 20. The mounting arm 18 may accordingly be urged in one angular direction by a spring device 23 for example so as to yieldably hold the printing wheel in engagement with the articles 14 with a sufficient pressure to transfer the ink from the printing type 22 onto the surface being marked. In the embodiment illustrated, engagement between the printing wheel and the article 14 being marked, causes rotation of the printing wheel and toward this end the printing wheel is provided with a pair of spaced friction engaging rims 24. Rotation imparted to the printing wheel drives a transfer roller 26 projecting from an adjustable ink reservoir device generally referred to by reference numeral 28. The ink reservoir device is adjustably mounted by means of the pivotal arm 30 on the mounting arm 18 for the printing wheel. The driving connection between the printing wheel and the transfer roller 26 is established by means of the pulleys 32 and 34 which are drivingly interconnected by a crossed drive belt 36 arranged to impart rotation to the transfer roller in such a direction and at such a speed relative to the printing wheel that the contact surface portions of the printing wheel and the transfer roller will be in substantially perfect rolling contact or moving at the same instantaneous linear speed. Ink coating the transfer roller may thereby be properly transferred to the type 22 as it engages the transfer roller. It should of course be appreciated, that other driving facilities for both the printing wheel and the transfer roller may be provided.

Referring now to FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, it will be observed that the ink reservoir device 28 includes a reservoir housing formed by an annular, cylindrical wall 38 the axial ends of which are in engagement with the end walls 40 and 42 to enclose a reservoir chamber sealed by the annular sealing ring 43 within which an ink absorbent body 44 is disposed. The end wall 42 includes an opening aligned with the end sleeve portion 48 of the pivotal arm 30 as more clearly seen in FIG. 3. The sleeve portion 48 receives the external section 49 of a shaft member 50 the opposite threaded end of which is connected to an assembly knob 52. A clamping washer 54 is disposed axially between the knob '52 and the end wall 40 so that by rotating the knob 52, it may bear against the washer and clamp the end walls 40 and 42 in engagement with the annular wall 28 to hold the reservoir housing in assembled relation. The shaft member 50 through which the parts of the housing are assembled or disassembled, includes a spacing section '56 embedded within the ink absorbent body 44. The ink absorbent body is thereby held in proper position within the reservoir chamber sealingly enclosed by the assembled housing.

Also journalled by bearings 60 and 62 in the end walls 40 and 42, is the drive shaft 58 to which the pulley 34 is connected at one end externally of the housing. Fixedly mounted on the shaft 58 internally of the housing is a tubular core 64 for the transfer roller 26. The transfer roller projects from the annular wall 38 of the housing with a close fit through an opening 65. The transfer roller thereby substantially closes the reservoir chamber leaving only a small air vent.

As more clearly seen in FIG. 4, the transfer roller 26 is in continuous and firm wiping engagement with the body of absorbent material 44 along the surface 66. Also, the absorbent body 44 is in engagement with the end walls 40 and 42 of the housing and with the internal surface of the annular wall 38 so as to completely occupy a major portion of the volume enclosed by the reservoir chamber leaving only a chordal portion 68 unoccupied. In this fashion, most of the external surface of the absorbent body contacts the internal surfaces of the reservoir housing and the transfer roller 26 so as to minimize exposure to air. The reservoir device may b charged with a quick drying type of ink through an open. ing in wall 38 closed by plug 69 for storage within the absorbent body material 44 with a minimum amount of drying. Alternatively, the opening and plug 7 may be provided on the end wall 40 as shown by dotted line in FIGURE 1. The ability of the ink reservoir device to store and regulate feed of quick drying ink, represents a significant feature of the invention.

The quantity of ink fed to the printing wheel is adjustable by means of an ink feed regulator 70. As more clearly seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, the regulator 70 includes a yieldable leaf spring 72 disposed within the chordal section 68 of the reservoir chamber having a portion thereof anchored to the annular wall 38 by the fastener assemblies 74. The free end of the yieldable leaf spring 72 is secured to a bracket 73 rotatably mounting a wiper roller 76 yieldably held in wiping engagement with the transfer roller. Dependent upon the pressure with which the wiper roller 76 engages the transfer roller, the transfer of ink will be limited to some predetermined amount because of the return of any excess when the transfer roller is rotated in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 4. The contact pressure with which the wiper roller engages the transfer roller may therefore be adjusted in order to adjust the ink feed rate by means of an adjustment screw element 78 threadedly mounted in the annular wall 38 and projecting radially inward to engage the leaf spring member 72. The end of the screw element 78 externally of the reservoir housing is connected to an adjustment knob 80 while a spring 82 is mounted about the screw element between the annular wall 38 and the adjustment knob 80. The bias of the spring 82 therefore holds the screw element in any position to which it is adjusted corresponding to a preset wiping pressure and ink feed rate.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In combination with an ink reservoir housinghaving an opening through which an ink transfer roller projects into rolling contact with a marking wheel, wherein the improvement comprises, an ink absorbing body filling a major portion of said housing in contact with the transfer roller leaving a chordal portion empty, said transfer roller being exposed to the empty chordal portion of the housing, a wiper roller disposed within the empty chordal portion of the housing, yieldable means rotatably mounting the wiper roller in contact with the transfer roller for removing ink therefrom in excess of a predetermined amount and adjustable means engageable with the yieldable means for varying the contact pressure between the wiper and transfer rollers to regulate the quantity of ink transferred to the marking wheel, said housing including an annular wall within which said opening is formed, a pair of axial end walls engageable with the annular wall and the ink absorbing body, assembly means extending axially through the ink absorbing body for holding the same in contact with the transfer roller and an arcuate portion of the annular wall while clamping the end walls in engagement with the annular wall, said yieldable means including a leaf spring element anchored to said annular wall in spaced relation to the transfer roller, said adjustable means including a screw element threadedly mounted in the annular wall projecting radially inward into engagement with the yieldable means, an adjustment knob connected to the screw element externally of the housing and a spring mounted on the screw element between the annular wall and the adjustment knob.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said assembly means comprises a spacer embedded in the ink absorbing body axially spacing said end walls, a screw section connected to said spacer externally of the housing, and a clamping knob threadedly mounted on the screw section externally of the housing in engagement with one of the end walls.

3. In combination with an ink reservoir housing having an opening through which an ink transfer roller projects into rolling contact with a marking wheel, wherein the improvement comprises, an ink absorbing body filling a major portion of said housing in contact with the transfer roller leaving a chordal portion empty, said transfer roller being exposed to the empty chordal portion of the housing, a wiper roller disposed within the empty chordal portion of the housing, yieldable means rotatably mounting the wiper roller in contact with the transfer roller for removing ink therefrom in excess of a predetermined amount and adjustable means engageable with the yieldable means for varying the contact pressure between the wiper and transfer rollers to regulate the quantity of ink transferred to the marking wheel, said housing including an annular wall within which said opening is formed, a pair of axial end walls engageable with the annular wall and the ink absorbing body, assembly means extending axially through the ink absorbing body for holding the same in contact with the transfer roller and an arcuate portion of the annular wall while clamping the end walls in engagement with the annular wall, said assembly means including a spacer embedded in the ink absorbing body axially spacing said end walls, a screw section connected to said spacer externally of said housing, and a clamping knob threadedly mounted on the screw section in engagement with one of the end walls, said adjustable means including a screw element threadedly mounted in the annular wall projecting radially inward into engagement with the yieldable means, an adjustment knob connected to the screw element externally of the housing and a spring mounted on the screw element between the annular wall and the adjustment knob.

4. In combination with a marking wheel and an ink reservoir housing having an opening through which an ink transfer roller projects for preventing leakage of ink, wherein the improvement comprises an ink absorbing body made of solid material within which the ink is stored filling a major portion of said housing in contact with the transfer roller leaving an empty void in the housing, said transfer roller being partially exposed to the empty void in the housing, a wiper roller disposed within the empty void of the housing, yieldable means rotatably mounting the wiper roller in contact with the transfer roller for removing ink therefrom in excess of a predetermined amount and adjustable means engageable with the yieldable means for varying the contact pressure between the Wiper and transfer rollers to regulate the quantity of ink transferred to the marking wheel, said adjustable means including a screw element threadedly mounted by the housing and projecting radially inward into engagement with the yieldable means, an adjustment knob connected to the screw element externally of the housing, and a spring mounted on the screw element between the housing and the adjustment knob.

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein said yieldable 15 means includes a leaf spring element anchored to said housing in spaced relation to the transfer roller.

6 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/1891 Dolphin 101350 5/1935 Rix 101350 2/1941 Robbins 101363 8/1945 Babicz l01351 4/1954 Hopwood et al. 10l350 XR 1/1968 Proctor 101-350 U.S.S.R.

US. Cl. X.R. 

